Issues for U.S. 12th District point to state of the economy

Each candidate for the U.S. House District 12 seat has ideas for job creation, health care and taxes, but it all points to the overall umbrella issue of the economy.

BY REBEKAH CANSLER MCGEEThe Dispatch

Each candidate for the U.S. House District 12 seat has ideas for job creation, health care and taxes, but it all points to the overall umbrella issue of the economy.U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-12th, will face first-time politician Republican Jack Brosch. The hot topics for the candidates touch on all pay ranges and types of people. Without delving into the issues, Watt said he believes the residents of the 12th District should return him to the House of Representatives because of experience."Well I think voters should vote for me because they know what I have stood for for more than 20 years. I have been diligent about representing the 12th District," said Watt, who was first elected to Congress in 1992.As for the political stance Watt takes, he said he looks at issues that not only affect his district but span the entire country."We need to do something about whether we are going to extend or not extend the tax cuts. Not extending the tax cuts that impact the lower-income and middle-income people would have an adverse impact on the economy," Watt said.When speaking of tax cuts, he said he would be in favor of asking individuals who make more than $300,000 to contribute a bit more to get the budget balanced.While not advocating for any idea in particular when it came to Social Security and Medicare, Watt said he wanted everything on the table for consideration. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid need to be strengthened so there is a satisfactory safety net for the future, Watt added."We should all be willing to put everything on the table and talk about pros and cons. We have an obligation to consider the possibility of providing fewer benefits to high-income, elderly people," Watt said. "It is no different than asking the high-income people to pay more in taxes. We could apply the same theory to Medicare."In an effort to balance the budget, Watt said simplifying the tax code would help place the budget in a good place. "I'm not opposed to cutting corporate tax rates, but you can't cut tax rates and not be willing to talk about the exceptions that you would do away with. Every one of those exceptions complicates the tax code and makes it necessary to have higher rates on the people that are not in those exceptions," Watts said.Overall, Watt said he believes issues need to be discussed honestly and openly."There are common sense kind of things that at least need to be a part of the discussion, but because we are in the middle of this crazy political season, no one wants to say anything controversial," Watt said.Watt's Republican challenger is new to the congressional political scene. Brosch, who lives in Mecklenburg County, is a computer consultant, owning his own computer consulting business for 26 years. After decades of watching others come and go, Brosch decided the only way to make a difference was to run for political office himself. He said he believes he is a good candidate for the 12th District because he is greatly concerned for the fiscal budget."America is in fiscal trouble, and I support a balanced budget to get our fiscal house back in order to create a stronger America," Brosch said.One of the ways he proposes to balance the budget is to close loopholes and reduce regulations on small businesses."We need to close loopholes to increase revenue and cut back on the federal departments," Brosch said. By reducing the regulations, Brosch said he believes it will boost the economy because more individuals would have the income to create small businesses. When the businesses are created, they are paying taxes and hiring, and the workers pay income taxes, Brosch said, whereas if the business could not have the capital to start up, there would be no business tax and workers' income tax. "(Regulations and taxes) are depressing the hiring," Brosch said. If Brosch had an ideal situation and several federal departments were closed, spending for those departments would be cut from the federal budget as well. "Some of the federal programs spend up to $20 million. That is not a lot of money when you are talking about a trillion-dollar deficit, but like the vote that wins the election, which is the $20 million that puts you over the trillion?" Brosch asked. "Like the accumulation of the votes wins the election, it is the accumulation of the $20-million programs that will close the deficit."Education programs should become state operated, Brosch said. By transferring the oversight to the state level, Brosch said, the education system will become more efficient. On another note, he added that Social Security and Medicare could possibly be balanced by delaying the beginning of benefits. "I believe in personal liberty and personal responsibility. I think these are the things that will restore American exceptionalism. I think we need to get back to citizens being responsible for the government they elect: find out who the candidates are, vote and hold them accountable," Brosch said. Rebekah Cansler McGee can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 228, or at rebekah.mcgee@the-dispatch.com.

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